Presidential aide on Prosecution petitions Gov Ayade over cult activities in his village

The Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Barrister Okoi Obono-Obla, has petitioned the Cross River state governor, Prof Ben Ayade, over cult activities in his village. The petition was addressed to Governor Ayade and copied to the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, the National Security Adviser Abuja, the State Security Services, Abuja, the Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Police Command, for attention and consideration.

Barrister Obono-Obla requested the governor to order security agencies to clamp down on murderous, vicious and blood thirsty cult/terror groups operating in the state and constitute a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the perpetrators of the terror/cult-related violence and spate of killings in Ugep (Yakurr); Ogoja; Obudu; Calabar South local government areas of the state.

The Senior Special Adviser alleged that most members of Governor Ayade’s government belong to dreaded and deadly cult/terror groups which have threatened the peace, well-being and security of the People of Obudu, Ogoja, Yakurr, Calabar-South Local Government Areas of Cross River State, which more or less has caused a near break down of law and order in these areas.

He said there has also been spate of cult-related murders/killings in Ugep, Obudu, Ogoja, and Calabar-South local government areas of the state, adding “It has got so bad that in Ogoja the population went on rampage and raided the homes of suspected members of these cult/terror groups and unleashed ‘justice’ on them.

“This indeed is a dangerous trend that should not be tolerated by any government at all on account of the serious consequences of mischievous people cashing in on such trend to settle scores with perceived enemies.

“It could easily lead to the total disintegration of society and lead to a return to the era described by Thomas Hobbes, the 18th Century Legal Philosophy, when life was short, nasty and brutish. In all these the Government of Cross River State has been totally and completely ambivalent and indeed half-hearted and lukewarm in tackling this huge and ominous security problem which has assumed frightening, pandemic and endemic proportion,” he stated.

Apart from the high rate and incidence of cult/terror security challenges in Cross River state, the state regrettably has one of the highest kidnapping rates in the country so much so that averagely in Calabar, more than about 10 kidnappings takes place daily. Barrister lamented various incident that took place in Ugep, the Headquarters of the Yakurr local government area of Cross River state on the June 29, 2017, which I believe your Security Adviser and the Police must have briefed the governor and itemized them to the Governor Ayade.

He listed almost 50 suspected cult members and their sponsors in the petition.

“There is undoubtedly a high rate of kidnapping and cult related violence and killings in Cross River state. I seriously fear that if the Government of Cross River state fails to take action now the entire state may sooner than later be consumed by an orgy of killings and murders never seen in the annals of the history of this State and indeed the country.

“In order to prevent a reprisal and or communal conflict from erupting in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River state by a gang of cultists and terrorists, the government must intervene immediately and decisively”.

“In the light of the above, I respectfully pray the Governor of Cross River state to: Request the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of State Security Services and Comptroller General of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to immediately deploy/constitute a Crack Team of Detectives/Squads to investigate the brutal killing of Mr. Jude Iroegbu Junior on the 29th June, 2017, by a group of Axemen” he appealed.